Pick-up head for pre-cut fabric blanks



April 18, 1967 FRQMM, JR 3,314,676

PICK-UP HEAD FOR PRECUT FABRIC BLANKS Filed May 23, 1966 Fla, 6 INVENTOR.

FRANK H. FROMMJR ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,314,676 PICK-UP HEAD FOR PRE-CUT FABRIC BLANKS Frank H. Fromm, Jr., 4215 State Road, Drexel Hill, Pa. 19026 Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,251 13 Claims. (Cl. 271-26) The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 364,080, filed May 1, 1964, now Patent No. 3,275,317, issued Sept. 27, 1966, in which I have described a certain style of pick-up unit or head for picking up pre-cut fabric blanks from a supply station and transferring them to a processing station at a distance from the supply station for conversion, by edge stitching or other treatment, into doilies, wash cloths, bibs, aprons, diapers, handkerchiefs, belts or parts of garments including collars, cuffs, linings, etc. My pick-up head makes it possible to remove blanks one at a time from a pile thereof at the supply station without disturbing the remaining blanks in the pile, and to deliver the blanks one at a time to the processing station.

The present application is directed to pick-up heads of specifically different styles from that described in said copending application. The accompanying drawing illustrates several embodiments of the pick-up head.

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a pick-up head constructed in accordance with the invention, the pick-up head being disposed in overlying spaced relation to a pile of pre-cut fabric blanks;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1, but shows the pick-up head lowered into full engagement with the underlying pile of pre-cut fabric blanks; and

FIGURES 3 to 7 show various modified forms of the pick-up head.

The following description is directed to the specific embodiments of the pick-up head shown in the drawing. It is not directed to the scope of the invention, which may be practiced in a variety of forms.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the pick-up head constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a main body 10 having a lower wall 12 with a central panel extending horizontally and opposite side panels 16 sloping outwardly and upwardly, an upper wall 18 extending horizontally, upright opposite side walls 20 and opposite side walls 22 sloping inwardly and downwardly. The several walls 12, 18, 20 and 22 conjointly form a shallow box-like hollow structure.

Extending through the opposed side walls 20, close to the lower wall 12, is a pivot shaft 24 having opposite end portions journalled respectively in the lower extremities of a pair of ears 26 depending from a horizontally extending plate 28. Interposed between the upper wall 18 and the plate 28 area plurality of compression springs 30 and a plurality of clips 32.

Overhanging each of the side walls 22 is an upper fin 34 secured to the upper wall 18 by bolts 36. The fin is bent, as at 38 and 40, to slope outwardly and downwardly. Underlying the lower wall 12 is a lower fin 42 secured to the lower wall 12 by bolts 44. Extending downwardly from the outer marginal area of the fin 42 is a narrow rib or flange 46. The opposed side walls 22 are provided with a series of horizontally spaced air intake ports or pass-ages 48, and the lower wall 12 is provided with two series of horizontally spaced air intake ports 50. Connected with the upper wall 18 is a flexible hose 52.

In FIGURE 1, the pick-up head is shown before it is lowered upon the pile of blanks B. The plate 28 is operable for lowering and raising the pick-up head. The head is lowered with no pivotal movement of the head about the shaft 24. Pressure is applied to the pile of prec-ut fabric blanks B, and the flanges or ribs 46 bite into the blanks and sharply depress the topmost blank, as shown in FIGURE 2, separating the topmost blank B from the underlying blanks B, as at 54.

Vacuum is induced through the hose 52 and air is drawn in through the ports 48 and 50. The air through the ports 50 lifts and supports the central area of the topmost blank, while the air through the ports 48 turns the marginal areas of the top most blank upwardly and holds them to the side walls 22. When the head is raised, only the topmost blank B is lifted from the pile of blanks. If desired, the the clips 32 may be removed. In this event, the head automatically pivots about the shaft 24 and adjusts to the slope of the topmost blank B of the pile thereof against the influence of springs 30.

Referring to the modification of the pick-up head shown in FIGURE 3, the main body, designated 60, comprises a lower section 62 and an upper section 64 conjointly forming a shallow box-like hollow structure. The lower section includes a bottom wall 66 extending horizontally and side walls 68 extending outwardly and upwardly and terminating in horizontally extending flages 70. The upper section includes a top wall 71 extending horizontally and side walls 72 depending therefrom and terminating in horizontally extending flages 74. Underlying the flange is an upper fin 76 the outer marginal area of which is turned downwardly, as at 78. The fin 76 is secured in position by means of a plurality of screws 80 passing through elongated openings 62 in the flanges 70 and 74 and threaded into the fin 76. Underlying the bottom wall 66 is a lower fin 84 the outer marginal area of which is turned downwardly to provide a downwardly presenting flange-like or rib-like formation 85. The fin 84 is secured in position by means of a plurality of screws 86 extending through elongated openings 88 in the fin and threaded into the wall 66. The side walls 68 of the lower section 62 are provided with a plurality of horizontally spaced air passages or ports 90.

Now referring to the modified form of the pick-up head shown in FIGURE 4, the main body, generally designated 100, is provided with a lower wall 102 extending horizontally, an upper wall 104 extending horizontally, upright opposite side walls 106 and upright opposite side walls 103. Fitted over opposite end portions of the pick-up head are nosings, generally designated 110, each of which includes an elongated member generally U- shaped in transverse section having an upper arm 112 overlying the upper wall 104, a lower arm 114 underlying the lower wall 102 and an arm connecting part 116 sloping inwardly and downwardly. The opposite end portions of the U-shaped member are closed as by opposite end walls 118 respectively closely overlying the side walls 106. Overhanging the U-shaped member is an upper fin 120. The fin is bent, as at 122 and 124, to slope outwardly and downwardly. Underlying the lower arm 114 of the U-shaped member is a lower fin 126 provided with a narrow rib or flange 128 depending from the outer marginal area thereof. The upper and lower fins and the U-shaped member are secured in position by means of a plurality of bolts 130 extending through aligned openings elongated as required to provide for adjustment of the upper and lower fins, the U-shaped member and the main body each relative to the others, as indicated by dotted lines. The arm connecting part 116 is provided with horizontally spaced air intake passages or ports 132 communicating with the interior of the main body through large openings 134 in the walls 108. The parts 116 respectively of the U-shaped members effectively serve as opposite side walls of the main body 100.

Now referring to the modified form of the pick-up head shown in FIGURE 5, the main body 100 is fitted with nosings, generally designated 140, each of which includes an elongated member generally U-shaped in transverse section having an upper arm 142, a lower arm 144 and an arm connecting part 146, upright instead of inclined as in FIGURE 4. The opposite end portions of the U-shaped member are closed, as by opposite end walls 148. Overhanging the U-shaped member is an upper fin 149. The fin is bent, as at 151 and 153 to slope outwardly and downwardly. Underlying the lower arm 144 of the U-shaped member is a lower fin 156 provided with a narrow rib of flange 152 depending from the outer marginal area thereof. The upper and lower fins and the U-shaped member are adjustably secured in position by means of bolts 130, as described in connection with FIGURE 4. The arm connecting part 146 is provided with a series of horizontally spaced air intake passages or ports 154 communicating, as in the embodiment of FIGURE 4, with the interior of the main body 100 through openings 134 in the wall 1113.

Now referring to the modified form of the pick-up head shown in FIGURE 6, the main body 1191) is fitted with nosings, generally designated 160, each of which includes an elongated member generally U-shaped in transverse section having an upper arm 162, a lower arm 164 and an arm connecting part 166, arcuate instead of straight as in FIGURE 5. The opposite ends of the U-shaped member are closed, as by opposite end walls 168. Overhanging the U-shaped member is an upper fin 170. The outer marginal area of the fin is curved downwardly, as at 172. Underlying the lower arm 164 is a lower fin 174, the outer marginal area of which is turned downwardly, as at 176. The upper and lower fins and the U-shaped member are adjustably secured in position by means of bolts 130, as described in connection with FIGURES 4 and 5. The arm connecting part 166 is provided with a series of air intake passages or ports 178 communicating, as in the embodiment of FIGURES 4 and 5, with the interior of the main body 1190 through openings 134 in the wall 103.

Now referring to the modified form of the pick-up head shown in FIGURE 7, the main body is formed from tubular members 1%. Overhanging one side of the tubular member 1% is an upper fin 120. Underlying the tubular member is a lower fin 194 having an outer marginal area turned downwardly, as at 196. The upper and lower fins are adjustably secured in position by bolts 130 for movement relative to each other as well as for movement relative to the tubular member 190. The side of the tubular member overhung by the upper fin 120 is provided with a series of horizontally spaced air intake passages or ports 2%.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pick-up head of the character described, the combination comprising means providing a blank engaging undersurface area bounded by peripherally extending generally upright side wall areas, the effective size of the pick-up head being such that marginal areas of said blanks extend outwardly from thereunder, means providing air intake passages in said side wall areas, means extending outwardly from said side wall areas above said passages and over the marginal areas of the topmost blank to control the path of air approaching said passages, and means facing downwardly for engaging the topmost blank and sharply depressing the same along the lines of said side wall areas whereby to cause separation of the marginal areas of the topmost blank from the marginal areas of the underlying blank to facilitate turning of the marginalareas of the topmost blank upwardly by air approaching said passages.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up head includes means mounting the pick-up head for rocking about a horizontal axis, and spring means for yieldably maintaining said pick-up head in a horizontal position.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the pick-up head is suspended from a horizontally extending plate member and thereby disposed in underlying spaced parallel relation to said plate member, and the spring means is disposed between said plate member and pickup head.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up head is mounted in fixed relation to means operable for raising and lowering said pick-up head.

5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein air deflecting fins extend outwardly from the bottoms of the side wall areas, and the outer marginal areas of the fins turn downwardly out of the planes of the fins to provide the means for sharply depressing the topmost blank along the lines of said side wall areas.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the pick-up head includes tubular members extending about the periphery thereof, the air intake passages are formed in the outwardly facing side wall areas of said tubular members, air deflecting fins extend outwardly from the bottoms of the tubular members, and the outer marginal areas of the fins turn downwardly out of the planes of the fins to provide the means for sharply depressing the topmost blank along the lines of said side wall areas.

7. In a pick-up head of the character described, the combination comprising a hollow main body member including relatively fixed upper and lower vertically spaced horizontally extending walls, elongated members each generally U-shaped in transverse section, fitted to mutually overlying marginal areas of said walls for being selectively positioned relative thereto and provided with air intake passages formed in the arm connecting parts thereof, upper fin means extending outwardly from said U- shaped members above said passages to control the path of air approaching said passages, lower fin means extending outwardly from under said U-shaped member including means extending along the outer marginal areaof said lower -fin means and facing downwardly for engaging the topmost blank and sharply depressing the same along the lines of said U-shaped members whereby to cause a separation of the marginal areas of the topmost blank from the marginal areas of the underlying blanks to facilitate turning of the marginal areas of the topmost blank upwardly by air approaching said passages, and means adjustably fixing said U-shaped members and fin means to said walls.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the arm connecting parts of the U-shaped members slope inwardly and downwardly and the air intake passages are proximate the upper fin means.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein the means extending along the outer marginal areas of the lower fin means and facing downwardly are rib-like or flange-like formations.

10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the arm connecting parts of the U-shaped members are disposed vertically and the air intake passages are proximate the upper fin means.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein the means extending along the outer marginal areas of the lower fin means and facing downwardly are rib-like or flange-like formations.

12. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the arm connecting parts of the U-shaped members are arcuately shaped in transverse section and the air intake passages are proximate the upper fin means.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein the means extending along the outer marginal areas of the lower fin means and facing downwardly are rib-like or flange-like formations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1953 Cox 221-211 X 5/1963 Packman 221-211 X 

1. IN A PICK-UP HEAD OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING A BLANK ENGAGING UNDERSURFACE AREA BOUNDED BY PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING GENERALLY UPRIGHT SIDE WALL AREAS, THE EFFECTIVE SIZE OF THE PICK-UP HEAD BEING SUCH THAT MARGINAL AREAS OF SAID BLANKS EXTEND OUTWARDLY FROM THEREUNDER, MEANS PROVIDING AIR INTAKE PASSAGES IN SAID SIDE WALL AREAS, MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE WALL AREAS ABOVE SAID PASSAGES AND OVER THE MARGINAL AREAS OF THE TOPMOST BLANK TO CONTROL THE PATH OF AIR APPROACHING SAID PASSAGES, AND 